Inkwell



L. A. PAUL June 20, 1939.

INKWELL Filed Jan. 18, 1938 BY mwml H IS ATTCRNEYS Patented June 20,1939 UNITED STATES rATENT oFFicE 5 Claims.

My invention relates to ink Wells, and includes among its objects andadvantages the provision of an improved container so designed as toiacilitate the filling of fountain pens. f

An object of my invention is to provide an ink Well including means forelevating ink into a pen point receiving receptacle and in which theelevating feature is pressure responsive in such a manner as to beactuated b-y merely pressing the point of the pen into the receptacle.The container also includes means for limiting the movement of the penpoint so as to prevent the barrel of the pen from being pushed into theink. In addition, the elevating means is so constructed as to returnexcess ink to the container immediately upon Withdrawal of the pen. Whenrelieved of pressure, the lifting feature renders the containerleakproof to prevent spilling of the ink as When the container isaccidentally tipped.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan view of a container ein bodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Y

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of a diiferent form of the invention; and YFig. 4 is a sectional View along the line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment selected to illustrate my invention, I make use of aconventional glass container it having a threaded neck l2 for connectionWith the threaded flange i4 oi a cover or cap I6. Cap I6 includes acentral .opening i8 for the reception of the upstanding ilange 22 formedintegrally with a plate 22. Adjacent the bottom face of the plate 22 Imount a diaphragm 24 of resilient material such as rubber. Theperipheral margin of the diaphragm 24 is cemented to the plate 22, as at2t. The diaphragm 24 is of such diameter as to span the neck i2.Liquid-tight relation is established between the neck and the diaphragmby merely turning the capl I6 down on the neck.

Centrally of the plate 22 I provide an elliptically-shaped opening 28.The plate is slotted outwardly from the opening 28, as at 30, Whichslots terminate in vertical grooves 32 in the inner face of the flange20. Opening 28 is of such proportions as to freely receive the Writingpoint of fountain pens as Well as conventional pens.

In Fig. 2, the diaphragm 24 is provided With a bore 34 and a tubularextension 3S Within Which I insert one end of a small tube 38 which maybe of rigid properties.. Sleeve 36, in being formed of the same materialas the diaphragm 24, may

(Cl. 1Z0-64) be stretched for receiving the tube 38, after which. thetension of the sleeve is suicient for supporting the tube. The oppositeend of the tube terminates in close relation with the bottom 46 of thecontainer. Diaphragm 24 is provided With a thickened area 42 locatedunderneath the opening 28 in the plate 22.

In operation, the upper face of the diaphragm 24 lies in close relationwith the bottom face of the plate 22 so as to prevent ink and the likefrom flowing through the bore 34 in the event that the container is.accidentally tipped. In iling a fountain pen, the pen point 44 isaligned with the opening 28 and the pen is pressed down- Wardly fordepressing the diaphragm 24, as illustrated in dotted linesfin Fig. 2.Distortion of the diaphragm 24 imparts pressure on the liquid in thecontainer for elevating the same through the tube 33 and into thereceptacle 45 formed through distortion of the diaphragm. Distortion ofthe diaphragm in the manner illustrated in Fig. 2 is sufficientl tocompletely fill the receptacle 46 up to at least the bottom face of theplate 22. With the pen 48 positioned as illustrated, the air may beevacuated therefrom, after which the pen is allowed to fill. Receptacle46 holds sufficient ink to ll all types of conventional pens.

Fig. 2 illustrates the pen 48 depressed in the maximum degree, at whichtime the end or shoulder 5B of the barrel rests on the upper face of theplate 22. In making the opening 23 elliptically-shaped, I provideaccommodation for small as Well as the largest types of pen points. Themajor axis of the elliptically-shaped opening is sufficient toaccommodate the Widest type of pen point, While the minorv axis is suchas to have abutting relation With the end 50 regardless of the type ofpen point or size of pen barrel. Thus, I provide means Which preventsthe end of the barrel from being pushed into the pool of ink in thereceptacle 46. At the same time, the slots 30 are so arranged as toremain largely uncovered regardless of the size of the pen barrel, thuspermitting air to be evacuated from the pen. After filling of the pen,removal thereof permits the diaphragm 24 to return to the full lineposition of Fig. 2, after which excess ink in the receptacle 46 isdravvn` into the container Il! via the bore 34 and the tube 3B.

In the event that the ink should be elevated slightly above the upperface of the plate 22, capillary action of the ink within the grooves 32tends to take up excess ink so as to prevent the pen from becomingsoiled. The points 52 are rounded so as to prevent their catching on thepen point.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a slightly different form in which thediaphragm 54 is cemented at 56 to the inner face of the cap 58. The capis provided with a threaded flange 60 for connection with the neck l2. Acircular flange 62 corresponding to the flange 20 of Fig. 2 is formedintegrally with the cap 58, and the latter includes a central opening 64of the same shape as the opening 28. The cap 58 is provided with aplurality Vof openings B6 which function in the manner of slots 39.Diaphragm 58 includes a thickened area 68 and is provided with aconveying tube 'IU corresponding to the tube 38. The ink wells of'Figs.3 and 4 function in the same manner as the well of Figs. l and 2.

I prefer to reenforce the diaphragm 54 about its peripheral margin, asat l2, which reenforcement has pressure relation with the neck l2. Incementing the peripheral margin of the diaphragm to the cover 58, thediaphragm may be removed from the container as a unit with the cover. Inthe structure of Figs. l and 2, the plate 22 is of such diameter as tohave abutting relation with the threads of the neck I2 to prevent theplate from falling out of the neck when the cap IS is unscrewed.However, the plate may be pressed or screwed out of abutting relationwith the threads.

While I have described the container in connection with a fountain pen,it will be understood that the diaphragm of either form may be depressedby an ordinary pen point for immersng the point in ink. My invention maybe used to advantage with ordinary pens in that it eliminates thenecessity of pushing the pen holder into the container and guessing atthe immersion of the pen point. In conventional ink wells the neck isusually coated with wet ink, some of which is transferred to the penholder. In many cases, the pen point is totally submerged and the penholder lowered into the ink, thus necessitating the exercise ofadditional care and frequent cleaning.

The thickened areas 42 and 68 embody sufcient material to wearindefinitely and at the same time prevent puncture of the diaphragm bythe pen point.

Without further elaboration, the foregoing will so fully explain myinvention that others may, by applying current knowledge, readily adaptthe same for use under various conditions of service.

I claim:

1. An ink well comprising a container provided with a cover having anopening, a diaphragm positioned adjacent the inner face of the cover andprovided with a conduit having one end located inside the container andits opposite end normally sealed by said cover, said diaphragm yieldingin response to pressure of a pen point for uncovering the conduit andelevating ink through the conduit, to deliver a pool of ink about thepen point.

2. An ink well comprising a container provided with a cover having anopening, a plate located underneath the cover and having an opening,said plate being provided with an upstanding flange extending throughthe opening in the cover, said plate being slotted outwardly from theopening therein and said slots terminating in grooves in the inner faceof said flange, a diaphragm mounted underneath said plate, a conduitcarried by the diaphragm and located inside the container, saiddiaphragm yielding in response to pressure of a pen point for elevatingink through the conduit and delivering a pool of ink about the penpoint.

3. A device of the type described comprising a liquid reservoirincluding cover means provided with an opening, a diaphragm positionedadjacent the inner face of the cover means and normally lyingthereagainst, said diaphragm being provided with conduit means extendinginto the reservoir and its other end providing an opening in thediaphragm located to one side of said first opening, to be ,sealed bysaid cover means, said diaphragm yielding in response to pressure forelevating liquid through the conduit means and delivering a poolunderneath said rst opening.

4. A liquid elevating device including a container having means forcovering it, a port in the means, a diaphragm associated with the meansand normally closing said port, an opening in the diaphragm normallyclosed by the means, means connected to the diaphragm opening forconducting liquid from the container for passage through the opening andabove the diaphragm to form a pool of liquid at the port, said liquidflow taking place when the diaphragm is urged toward the container.

5. An ink well including a container having a closure, said closureincluding an open top bowl for receiving a pool of ink and the tip of apen, a depressible member forming the bottom of the bowl, valved meansextending from near the bottom of the container and combined with theclosure and said member, said means being operable by depressing themember to cause ow of ink from the container into the bowl.

LAWRENCE A. PAUL.

